Strange problem with a model: help needed

**Monkwarrior** · 05-13-2006, 09:00

Hi, this is my problem when I tried to include a new hoplite model for the Greek faction:

As you can see, there is some kind of "beam" or "reflection" in the model.
It seemed to me that this reflection came from the shield, and next to this unit you have the same model without shield. No aparent problem.
However, I imported a shield from another (correct) model, but the problem appeared again.

Any idea about the origin of this problem?
How can I solve it?

**Bwian** · 05-13-2006, 09:49

Looks to me like you have a rogue vertex that is not properly assigned to the skin modifier. It may very well not be coming from the shield...but from the arm behind it. The shield model has no skin modifer, and is basically inert.

I would re-import the model into Max, and thoroughly check the skin modifier.

If all seems OK, and it still does this, remove the skin modifier, make sure you have no duplicated vertices, and then re-do the skin modifier. This ought to cure the problem.

**Myrddraal** · 05-13-2006, 23:22

I think thats probably right, but still thats one cool and wierd looking error you have...

**snevets** · 05-20-2006, 14:45

It looks to me as though you have a part of the body thats weighted to the arm.

**Myrddraal** · 05-20-2006, 15:00

It looks to me as though you have a part of the body thats weighted to the arm.

But it looks like the vertex always heads towards the top left of the screen, if it was a body vertex weighted to the arm the different unit's vertexes would go to different places.

**Monkwarrior** · 05-22-2006, 11:45

Sadly, I was unable to find the problem.

If any expert modeller was so kind to help me, I would be very grateful.
In such case, PM me with an e-mail address and I will send you the cas and the tga.dds texture files.

**wlesmana** · 05-22-2006, 17:25

Does your model have any pieces that's linked to a bone, that's not primary weapon or shield, like scabbard, etc? How many pieces are linked to bones and not part of the main mesh?

If you have too many pieces linked to bones, try detaching them and instead use a Skin modifier or attach them to the main mesh.

**Lord Adherbal** · 05-23-2006, 10:52

usualy this happens when you export a cas file after having had an error message from the exporter script. The result is that the exported cas is corrupted. Did you try re-exporting the model ?

EDIT: I also remember seeing this problem when I used the anim editor to change some unit (horse) speeds. So it could be animation related.

**Myrddraal** · 05-23-2006, 16:04

You've actually seen this problem before... twice... wow

**Lord Adherbal** · 05-23-2006, 16:50

yeah, wonder if that makes me a good or very bad modder

**Monkwarrior** · 05-23-2006, 17:01

Originally Posted by [cF]Adherbal

yeah, wonder if that makes me a good or very bad modder

At least this makes you an active (or even very active) modder.

**Bwian** · 05-23-2006, 21:49

Monkwarrior.... I have a cure

I tried all sorts of combos, checked your skin, mesh etc. and couldn't pin it down until I worked out what the stretched thing was .... it was a kopis!

I am guessing when you made the sheathed weapon, you cloned the sword and removed most of the mesh. For some reason, the game still thought this was part of the weapon! When you copy bits, you need to make sure you create a copy, not just a new 'instance' of the mesh. I merged the sword handle bit with the sheath and converted it to editable mesh. Then re-named it. Effectively...I made sure there was no link. Then I re-attached it to the pelvis bone. Now it works fine.

Fixed model should be in your inbox

**Monkwarrior** · 05-24-2006, 00:14

File received, tested and OK.

Thanks a lot Bwian. I'm sure that I would have been unable to find the mistake.

In any case, I keep on being surprised how the mistake was not visible when the shield (not the weapon) was eliminated from the model.